If THIS Guy Can Be Thankful

So today is Sangsgiving, as they say in Miami. Wifey has set a beautiful table in the newly renovated dining room -- now painted royal blue, under an impressive new modern chandelier. We'll be 18 strong later -- a very lucky number -- and Wifey decided to have the feast fully catered this year. I agreed, of course, lest there be any tensosity involved in preparing for our people to arrive. All I had to do is schlep in a few chairs and prepare to write a check...

Yesterday was D1's 31st birthday, and she celebrated with a "Sibs-giving" -- D2 and all local siblings of Joey and Jonathan went to Shorecrest for pizza and drinks. I had ordered some nice wine from California, and on my way home dropped off a bottle at D2 and Jonathan's in the Grove -- I left it with the friendly doorman, and then called D2 to say that the "wine phantom" had visited. She giggled, in that giggle I love.

It occurred to me that our number today was born all over. Jonathan's wonderful grandmother, Judy, was born in Hungary. His father David, like Wifey, was born in Israel. The rest of the guests were born in Colombia and Venezuela, with the Ds being the native Miamians. Turns out -- I'm the only NY native. Whaddya know?

Wifey grew up in a home where Thanksgiving wasn't really celebrated -- it was an "American thing." Same with her best friends Edna and Jeannette -- Edna's parents were Holocaust Survivors, like my in laws, and Jeannette's parents born in Honduras and Cuba. So I imagine the three of them in Canarsie -- thinking the holiday was no big deal.

It was for me -- there was always turkey and all the traditional foods -- and when my sister and brother in law moved to South Florida in 1990, they would host each year. My Ds grew up also loving T Day -- gringas they are.

Our friend Elizabeth drove down from Orlando -- she always celebrates with her sister and brother in law in Grove Isle. Elizabeth is coming to stay with us tomorrow through the weekend -- the better to avoid post T Day tensosity with HER sister. We spoke last night -- and she let on how Wifey told her T Day is "really my holiday" and she does it for me.  Well -- I'm thankful for that!

It's so easy to lose our ability to give gratitude -- not just today, but each day. Annoyances flood in, and we focus on them. Anxieties are even worse -- worry over our health, and those we love. These are great gratitude blockers.  In my case, constant reminders of "what if?" serve to kick my ample tuches back to reality. I had one today on FaceBook.

We bought our beloved house in 2000. The architects and builders were Richard and Jennifer -- two Miami kids who grew up in Pinecrest and Miami Lakes (one Jewish, one very WASP) and met at UM where they became architects. They bought a Hurricane Andrew damaged house where Richard grew up, in Pinecrest, and set about building a replica of an Italian villa they had seen and visited.  The result was the house I fell in love with at first sight, and, coming off a pretty fat year at work, was able to buy for my family.

Richard and Jennifer and their two kids moved to West Palm, and their beautiful, blonde little kids grew to be musical prodigies. They attended the West Palm equivalent of our New World School of the Arts. But, alas, the marriage failed, and there were money problems, and I guess Jennifer, classically, lost it. She shot her two kids to death, and then herself, and Richard discovered the scene. It was, of course, beyond any nightmare he could have had.

And today, on FaceBook, he posted a beautiful picture of a sunrise, from the Breakers Hotel, where he daily has breakfast, with an inspirational note of how thankful he is for his friends, work colleagues, and his life. Wow.

It slapped my face, metaphorically. If I EVER fail to show gratitude, despite the small things that annoy me -- I ought to receive a huge metaphorical kick in that aforementioned ample tuches. If Richard can be thankful -- I can be amazingly and awesomely thankful.

And I am.

So in a few hours, our "chai" group will be here. We'll eat, and we'll toast. My consuegro, despite being born and raised in Colombia, loves American football. We'll watch some together.  I'm sure there'll be talk of D2 and Jonathan's upcoming wedding -- less than 2 months away.

And I'll look skyward, and thank the Big Man. He has blessed me so much. Today, and each day, I'll thank Him.